A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Murphy hits spot to defeat holders
FITZGIBBON CUP: A penalty a minute into injury time from Tony Murphy – who was later shown a straight red card – gave Cork IT a one-point victory (2-12 to 0-17) over defending champions NUI Galway at Dangan in Galway.
As the clock ticked down, Murphy was shown a straight red card for an incident with NUIG skipper Pat Kelly and could now miss the remainder of the competition.
But it was the two second-half goals that clinched the two points for Cork IT, who trailed their hosts by 0-10 to 0-9 at the break.
Ryan Clifford scored his side’s other goal and also knocked over five points from placed balls. Caimin Morey kept the holders in touch with the accuracy of his free-taking and they led by two late on before Murphy’s dramatic intervention.
SCORERS – Cork IT: R Clifford 1-5, 5f, T Murphy 1-2, 1-0 pen, 2f, P O’Connor 0-2, M Bowles 0-1, L McLoughlin 0-1, C Casey 0-1. NUIG: C Morey 0-10, 9f, J Conlon 0-2, G Kelly 0-2, B Daly 0-1, R Shanahan 0-1, D O’Donovan 0-1.
Ashes moved to avoid Cup clash
CRICKET: England and Australia have agreed to bring forward the next Ashes to be played on Australian soil by a year to avoid a clash with the 2015 World Cup.
Australia will host the event and wanted to avoid a clash with the Ashes in 2014-15, while England are keen to avoid having to spend up to five months on tour in the country.
It means the two sides will play 10 Tests in nine months as England will host the Australians in 2013. A plan to bring that series back a year was scrapped to avoid a clash with the 2012 London Olympics.
England are then expected to host the Ashes in 2015 with the series returning to a four-year cycle to avoid future World Cups.
Meanwhile, local officials in Calcutta are to request the International Cricket Council (ICC) to reconsider its decision to move India’s World Cup clash against England away from Eden Gardens due to a failure to complete renovations on the stadium on target. Bangalore has been put on standby to host the clash.
Leona Maguire stretches lead to five
GOLF: Leona Maguire extended her lead to five shots at the Portuguese Ladies Amateur Open Championship in Aroeira after carding a two-under-par 70 yesterday.
The 16-year-old Slieve Russell golfer had to deal with heavy conditions due to heavy overnight rain on the course south of Lisbon. She managed to cope well, with no bogeys on her card, while picked up shots at the fifth and 10th to open a five-stroke lead over Karlijn Zaanen of the Netherlands.
Twin sister Lisa Maguire remains in contention for a good finish despite only managing a 76 yesterday that left her in a tie for ninth spot on three over.
Emma O’Driscoll is on eight over after a 77, while Charlene Reid is one shot further back after carding a 78. Gillian O’Leary, a previous winner of the title, is on 11 over after she posted an 80.
Kuerten and Forbes end successful partnership
EQUESTRIAN: The hugely successful partnership between showjumping owner Lady Georgina Forbes and Jessica Kuerten, the world number 11, is over, writes Margie McLoone.
A statement issued yesterday announced the end of the partnership, which has resulted in the 41-year-old Co Antrim rider losing the mount on five horses Lady Forbes has in her German yard, including the top-class mares Castle Forbes Libertina and Castle Forbes Mrytille.
Kuerten is currently competing at the Swiss five-star FEI World Cup qualifying show in Zurich where Cork-born Billy Twomey continued his good run of form by landing last evening’s Grand Prix with his own and Sue Davies’s 14-year-old mare Tinka’s Serenade.
In the United States, Offaly-born Darragh Kenny won Thursday night’s feature class at Wellington in Florida aboard Missy Clark’s Irish-bred Cavalier Royale gelding Gael Force.
McKillop goes for gold on birthday
PARALYMPICS: Ireland’s Michael McKillop celebrated his 21st birthday in style with a gold medal and new world record in the IPC Athletic Championships in Christchurch in New Zealand, writes Johnny Watterson.
Running in the men’s 800m T37, the Belfast athlete ran the distance in a time of 1.58.90 seconds to beat his own record and retain his title.
Having set a world record in the 1,500m earlier, McKillop was only looking for the gold medal, but once he had kicked at the 400m the world record became a reality.
“In Beijing I waited to the 250m, but today I decided to go early and catch them out. It worked perfectly. Back in Ireland it is still my birthday (born January 27th, 1990) so I have a wee bit of celebrating to do,” he said.
A place in London 2012 is now achieved as gold and silver in New Zealand assures qualification.
Merritt could make Worlds
ATHLETICS: The governing body of US track and field is considering a request to bend its own rules and allow Olympic 400 metres champion LaShawn Merritt compete in this year’s World Championships in Korea.
Merritt is scheduled to complete his 21-month doping suspension on July 27th, a month ahead of the games, but a month after the US trials. All athletes are expected to qualify through the trials, but Merritt may be excused.
